Steve Cortes, President of League of American Workers, said increased ICE enforcement is needed in Pennsylvania to address possible child labor by illegal immigrants, referencing a California case. This statement was made in an interview.
According to AP News, Federal agents conducted a raid at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California, targeting a cannabis cultivation facility. The operation led to a confrontation with protesters, during which authorities deployed smoke canisters to disperse the crowd. Glass House Farms confirmed that it was visited by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and stated that it fully complied with agent search warrants. The incident underscores heightened federal immigration enforcement in the region, contributing to increased anxiety within immigrant communities.
Economic Policy Institute reported the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws increased by 37% in the last year and has risen by 283% since 2015. This trend coincides with legislative efforts in at least ten states to roll back child labor protections. The report highlights that these developments pose significant risks to the safety and well-being of young workers, particularly in hazardous occupations.
According to Pennsylvania Legal Aid, in 2023, Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Labor Law Compliance recorded a 43% rise in child labor cases, with incidents increasing from 402 in 2022 to 574 in 2023. The agency conducted over 5,200 investigations into alleged labor violations that year, representing a 27% uptick compared to the prior year. These figures reflect an ongoing and well-documented focus on addressing child labor issues statewide.
Steve Cortes is the founder and president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group. He previously served as a senior advisor to President Donald Trump and has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN. Cortes is known for advocating for patriotic populism, emphasizing national sovereignty and populist economics. He has appeared daily on TV news programs since 2007, beginning at CNBC, commenting on financial markets, and later transitioning to politics. Cortes graduated from Georgetown University.
